Cleaning of open-end spinning turbines

ABSTRACT

In a machine for forming yarn and composed of an open-end spinning turbine presenting a fiber collection trough, a breakup roller disposed in, and coaxial with, the turbine, and a system for extracting air from the region enclosed by the roller, cleaning of the machine, and particularly of the fiber collection trough, is facilitated by providing the roller with at least one member which defines an air extraction channel and which is movable toward the region outside of the roller into the vicinity of the trough under the influence of its mass inertia when the roller decelerates, and by temporarily decelerating the roller to produce such movement.

O United States Patent 1191 1111 3,869,5l Muller Mar. 11, 1975 1 CLEANING 0F OPEN-END SPINNING 3,597,911 8/l971 Schiltknecht 57/56 TURBINES 3,659,410 5/l972 Barochovsky et al. 57/58189 3,662,532 5/l972 Stahlecker 5758.89 lnventorf et u er, Bremen-Lesum, 3,732,681 5/1973 Kutscher et al 57/59119 x Germany [73] Assignee: Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft mit Primary ExaminerD0nald Watkins b h kt H ft Essen, Attorney, Agent, or F inn-Spencer & Kaye Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1974 ABSTRACT 2 Appl 2 32 In a machine for forming yarn and composed of an open-end spinning turbine presenting a fiber collection trough, a breakup roller disposed in, and coaxial [30] Apphcauon Pnomy Data with, the turbine, and a system for extracting air from Feb. 14, I973 Germany 2307121 the region enclosed by the roller, cleaning of the ma- 1 chine, and particularly of the fiber collection trough, [52] US. Cl 57/58.89, 57/34.5, 57/156, is facilitated by providing the roller with at least one .1 57/56 member which defines an air extraction channel and [51] Int. Cl. D0lh 11/00, D0lh 7/00 which is movable toward the region outside of the roi- [58] Field of Search57/34 R, 34.5, 56, 58.89-58.95, ler into the vicinity of the trough under the influence 57/156, 34 TT of its mass inertia when theroller decelerates, and by temporarily decelerating the roller to produce such [56] References Cited movement.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 3,524,3l2 8/1970 Landwehrkamp et al..... 57/58.89 X

PATENTED "AR! 1 I975 sum 2 a; g

CLEANING F OPEN-END SPINNING TURBINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for cleaning open-end spinning turbines having a coaxial breakup roller, and particularly to a cleaning method which can be effected without opening the turbine housing.

In open-end spinning turbines, cleaning of the fiber collection trough presents particular problems. Generally it is necessary to first open the turbine housing in order to clean it and to then remove the waste from the turbine. It will be appreciated that such procedures are very complicated.

Devices inside the turbine are also known which permit a continuous removal of waste materials during operation. One example of these devices is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift (Laid Open Application) No. 1,685,999. These devices, however, have drawbacks, particularly with respect to their efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to eliminate these drawbacks of the known cleaning devices.

A more specific object of the invention is to permit a sufficiently thorough cleaning of the fiber collection trough without opening the housing of the spinning turbine.

These and other objects are achieved, according to the present invention, by a method for cleaning openend spinning turbines having a coaxial breakup roller which involves providing the roller with a suitably positioned movable suction device and temporarily braking the rotation of the roller so that the resulting mass inertia of the suction device will have the effect of driving that suction device out of the breakup roller.

The objects of the present invention are, more specifically, achieved by the provision of a device presenting at least one air extraction channel disposed inside the breakup roller so that during normal spinning operation its suction opening will sit back inside the breakup roller and then, upon a temporary slowdown of the rotational speed of the breakup roller, i.e. deceleration of the roller, the resulting mass inertia of the device will throw its suction opening out of the breakup roller so that it comes into the immediate vicinity of the fiber collection trough. The air extraction system connected with the channel through the region enclosed by the roller then assures that the dirt collected in the turbine will be removed therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a simplified, schematic cross-sectional view through an open-end spinning turbine according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows as another preferred embodiment of the invention a part of a cross-sectional view of an open-end spinning turbine in the region of an extraction channel (in larger scale).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an apparatus including a conical breakup roller 2 disposed coaxially with a spinning turbine l rotating in the direction of arrow 10. Fiber material is guided to the breakup roller through a channel 3 and the resulting yarn 4 is removed through the hollow shaft located along the axis of the turbine.

According to the present invention, two movable extraction channel members 5 and 6 are disposed in guides arranged within the breakup roller to permit members 5 and 6 to move along paths substantially tangential to the roller surface. Each of members 5 and 6 is held in its retracted position, which corresponds to the position of extraction channel member 6 in FIGS. 1 and 2, by a respective spring element 11 only one of which is visible in FIG. I.

The tangential guides are so arranged that the extraction channels will be propelled tangentially out of the breakup roller as a result of mass inertia, to the position shown in the drawing for extraction channel 5, while the rotational speed of the breakup roller, in the direction of arrow 9 is being temporarily decreased by the application of brake 7 and will suck waste material out of the fiber collection trough of the spinning turbine. The extracted air is removed toward the outside through the hollow shaft 8 of the breakup roller, the outlet end of shaft 8 being connected to a suitable suction source.

The present invention thus provides the advantages that it is no longer necessary to open the turbine housing, the cleaning process does not require stopping the turbine, and, with the appropriate control of the braking process for the breakup roller, the formation of yarn is not interrupted.

According to FIG. 3, the extraction channel 5 is disposed in a guide channel 12 upon the wall 12' of which is leaning the extraction channel as a result of the centrifugal force caused by rotation of the breakup roller 2 in the direction of arrow 13.

The extraction channel 5 is shown in propelled position its straitened opening 14 being situated adjacent to the fiber collection trough 15 of turbine l and the rear part 16 of the extraction channel being opened in the direction of a suction channel 17, which is connected to the hollow-shaft 8 (not shown; see FIG. 1).

The spring element is shown as plate-spring 18 connected by means of a srew 19 to the wall 17' of suction channel 17, the wall 17' being part of the breakup roller 2. The movable end 18' of plate spring 18 is disposed in a guide 20 formed as groove of the wall of extraction channel 5. The movable end 18' simultaneously acts as protection against rotation of the extraction channel 5 with regard to breakup roller 2.

EXAMPLE The spinning turbine has a diameter of about 100 mm, the breakup roller of about mm; the rate of rotation for the turbine and the breakup roller is 30,000 rpm and 12,000 rpm respectively.

In the retracted position the extraction channel members are so disposed with regard to the rotating point of the breakup roller, that the centrifugal force is acting at right angle or almost right angle at the guide of the extraction channels. The components of the centrifugal force acting in the direction of said guide may cause as well the propulsion as the retraction of the extraction channels. In the first case the spring element is required, in the second case it may be missing.

Each extraction channel having a mass, for example of about 5 grams its centrifugal force acting in the direction of the guide is about 20 Kp, if the rotation rate is 12,000 rpm.-With a coefficientof'friction of 0.] between the extraction channelvand the guide, the decele'rationrate of the breakup roller must have such an amountgthat'the force inertia influencing the extraction channel becom'es'greaterthan 2 Kp. This amount ofdeceleration of rotation is attained, if the brake exercises for a's-hort-time a braking moment of about 100 Kp'cm (Kilopondcentimeters"). The pulling force of the spring element aiding withthe retraction of the extraction channels lies about 0.5 Kp.

The amount of the coefficient of friction, the centrifugal forces and the braking moment may be reduced by application of constructive steps that are known to those skilled in the art.

The braking operation and the appertaining end position of the extraction channels can be controlled in such manner'that the yarn forming operation is not interfered. The period of operation of the extraction channels in propelled position should have the amount of time of a few rotations of the turbine, for example 3 to 5 rotations. Furthermore the extraction channels should have a small cross section area, for example of about 0.2 square centimeters, so that waste material and short fiber fragments are extracted, but not the fibers that are retained in the fiber collection trough by means of centrifugal forces.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In the formation of yarn in a machine composed of an open-end spinning turbine presenting a fibercollection trough, a breakup roller mounted for rotation in, and coaxially with, the turbine, and means for extracting air from theregion enclosed by the roller, a method for cleaning the machine comprising: mounting at least one device defining an air flow passage between the region outside and the region enclosed by the roller to be movable in a direction substantially tangential to the roller periphery; and temporarily decelerating the roller at a rate sufficient to cause the device to be pro pelled, due to its mass inertia, toward the region outside of the roller to bring the device into operative association with the fiber collection trough.

2. In a yarn forming machine composed of an openend spinning turbine presenting a fiber collection trough, a breakup roller mounted for rotation in, and coaxially with, the turbine, and means for extracting air from the region enclosed by the roller, the improvement comprising: guide means carried by said roller in a region adjacent, and enclosed by, the periphery thereof and defining at least one travel path extending substantially tangentially to the portion of said roller periphery adjacent thereto; and means defining at least one air extraction channel extending between the region outside and the region enclosed by said roller, said channel means being mounted in said guide means for movement, under the influence of mass inertia, along such path in the direction toward the region outside said roller when said roller decelerates, for temporarily bringing one end of said extraction channel into the vicinity of said fiber collection trough.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 2, further comprising spring means connected to said channel means for normally urging said channel means in the direction away from the region outside said roller.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, further comprising braking means operatively associated with said roller. 

1. In the formation of yarn in a machine composed of an open-end spinning turbine presenting a fiber collection trough, a breakup roller mounted for rotation in, and coaxially with, the turbine, and means for extracting air from the region enclosed by the roller, a method for cleaning the machine comprising: mounting at least one device defining an air flow passage between the region outside and the region enclosed by the roller to be movable in a direction substantially tangential to the roller periphery; and temporarily decelerating the roller at a rate sufficient to cause the device to be propelled, due to its mass inertia, toward the region outside of the roller to bring the device into operative association with the fiber collection trough.
 2. In a yarn forming machine composed of an open-end spinning turbine presenting a fiber collection trough, a breakup roller mounted for rotation in, and coaxially with, the turbine, and means for extracting air from the region enclosed by the roller, the improvement comprising: guide means carried by said roller in a region adjacent, and enclosed by, the periphery thereof and defining at least one travel path extending substantially tangentially to the portion of said roller periphery adjacent thereto; and means defining at least one air extraction channel extending between the region outside and the region enclosed by said roller, said channel means being mounted in said guide means for movement, under the influence of mass inertia, along such path in the direction toward the region outside said roller when said roller decelerates, for temporarily bringing one end of said extraction channel into the vicinity of said fiber collection trough.
 2. In a yarn forming machine composed of an open-end spinning turbine presenting a fiber collection trough, a breakup roller mounted for rotation in, and coaxially with, the turbine, and means for extracting air from the region enclosed by the roller, the improvement comprising: guide means carried by said roller in a region adjacent, and enclosed by, the periphery thereof and defining at least one travel path extending substantially tangentially to the portion of said roller periphery adjacent thereto; and means defining at least one air extraction channel extending between the region outside and the region enclosed by said roller, said channel means being mounted in said guide means for movement, under the influence of mass inertia, along such path in the direction toward the region outside said roller when said roller decelerates, for temporarily bringing one end of said extraction channel into the vicinity of said fiber collection trough.
 3. An arrangement as defined in claim 2, further comprising spring means connected to said channel means for normally urging said channel means in the direction away from the region outside said roller. 